Rights group raps UN chief's appeal for resettlement of MKO terrorists

An Iran-based right group strongly criticized UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his recent appeal to countries for hosting members of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, NCR and PMOI).

In a letter to the UN Chief on Sunday, the Association for Defending Victims of Terrorism (ADVT), a non-governmental, cultural institution whose members are family members and children of the victims of terrorist attacks, voiced their strong protest against Ban Ki-moon's demand.

"How can the UN members trust the residents of Camp Liberty (where MKO members have been settled transiently), who are members of the terrorist MKO cult, and grant them asylum," the letter asked, reminding that MKO members had passed special military, terrorism and sabotage trainings in their previous shelter in Iraq, Camp Ashraf.

The letter said striking off the MKO from the western states' terrorist list could never change the nature and status of the MKO as a terrorist group as everybody knows that the sectarian and undemocratic structure of the group is a "serious threat to peace and security".

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

In a report to the UN Security Council on Thursday, Ban Ki-moon appealed for countries to consider resettling several thousand MKO members living in Iraq who were recently moved to a former US military base in Baghdad from a camp where they lived for decades.

"Without the strong commitment of member states to accept former residents of Camp New Iraq, no sustainable solution can be achieved," Ban said in the report. "I appeal to member states to offer resettlement opportunities to residents with international protection needs as soon as possible."

Ban said 3,112 MKO members have been transferred to Camp Liberty (Hurriya), leaving about 100 still at Camp Ashraf - also known as Camp of New Iraq.


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